Casing-head apparatus



June 1 1926.

" R. TAYLOR CASING HEAD APPARATUS Filed April 1 1925 7 W g Y H 5 4 9 l LU M M 7 {419w I j/ 4 9 w 1 y .6 w w m f 5 j 5 K 4% 5 R. TAYLOR CASING HEAD APPARATUS June 1 1926.

Filed April 1, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 1, 1 926.

UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROY TAYLQR, or LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR or oNE-IIALF TO DAVID A.

CANT, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

CASING-HEAD APPARATUS.

Application filed April 1, 1925. Serial No. 19,848.

the well it will readily be seen that some method of hanging or landing the pipe must be employed. During the process-of drilling, gas under high pressure is frequently encountered. The flow of this gas up through one or more of the well casings often causes serious damage to, and sometimes the total loss of the well. Under the present system it is customary to provide each individual casing with both a landing device and a packing device.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple combination'landing'and packing device, and one casing head of such construction that it may be used in connection with any of the landing devices to effectually seal the well at any time whether in process of drilling or while cementing the bottom at any size casing, or after the well has been brought in and is producing. In the embodiment of the invention disclosed in the following specification, the apparatus includes a bottom collar and intermediate collars between the bottom collar and the casing-head, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide simple-means for effectively securing these parts together; also to provide apparatus of this kindwhich is especially adapted for supporting and packing the flow-pipe of a well when it has been brought in.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel parts and combination of parts to be described hereinafter, all of whichcontribute to produce an efficient casing-head apparatus.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following specification,

"" pointed out in the appended claims.

while the broad scope of the invention is the casings; this view illustrates the use of the intermediate collars and also illustrates the means for packing a rod, drill stem, or pipe passing up through the casing-head.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus after the well has been brought in, the strings of casing being broken away. 4

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken through thecap of the casing-head about on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1', and further illustrating the packing means. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the casing-head and particularly illustrating the means provided for securing the casinghead and intermediate collars to the bottom collar.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken about on the line 5-5 of Fig. ,4, but upon an enlarged scale, and further illustrating details of the bolt connections for securing the intermediate collars and the casing-head to the bottom collar.

Fig. 6 is a plan of the packing plug and particularly illustrating a modified embodiment of this feature of the invention to adapt the packing plug to pack a rod, such as a Kelly bar, which is of square cross section.

In practicing the invention, I provide a bottom collar 1 which is constructed to rest upon timbers 2 set in the ground at the mouth of the well. This collar is provided with means such as screw-threads 3 for attaching it to the outer casing 4 which is of the diameter which it is usual to put down first in drilling a well.

In order to adapt the bottom collar for use in *case an I extra large casing is put down, larger than the casing 4, I provide a onthe under side of the conical face 0 collar- I provide a casing-head 6. As soon as it becomes necessary to cement off the ,outer casing l, this head would be secured to the bottom collar 1. In order to accomplish this, the bottom collar 1 is provided on its upper side with a seat 7 which is preferably of substantially conical form, and on its under side the casing-head 6 is provided with a conical face 8 to be received on the.

1 seat 7. Between'these faces 7 and 8 a pack 1H5 ing ring 9 may be provided for packing the joint between the casing and the bottom collar. The drawing does not illustrate the casing-head seated directly on the bottom collar 1, but shows in Fig. 1 a plurality of intermediate collars 10 which are employed in succession, each collar having a. slightly smaller threaded opening 11 than the one below it so as to'adapt these collars for attachment to inner casings of successively smaller diameters. The packing rings 9 may be countersunk into circumferential grooves 12 formed in the seat 7 of the bottom collar and in the seats 13 of the intermediate collars.

I provide means for securing the casinghead to the bottom collar either directly or indirectly when one or more of the intermediate collars have been placed in position between the bottom collar and the casinghead. In order to accomplish this, I provide the bottom collar with a flange 14 and ings 15.

plurality of parallel connecting bolts pref this flange is provided with slots or open These slots or openings receive a erably built up of bolt sections or bolts 16 which extend upwardly (see Figs. 2 and 5) and have threaded upper ends which extend through slots 17 in lugs 18 of the adjacent collar. The threaded upper end of each connecting bolt 16 carries a nut 19 which screws down onto the upper face of the lug 18. 'Ihllt-lltil'll'lOlQ, the threaded end of the connecting bolt 16 extends above this nut and receives a threaded socket 20 formed on the lower end of an upper connecting bolt 21. The upper end of this bolt 21 is constructed like the upper end of the bolt 16 and receives a nut 22 which screws down onto the lug 18 of the next adjacent collar. In this way all of the intermediate collars are clamped to the bottom collar. The uppermost intermediate collar is secured in this same way to a flange 23 (see Fig. 2) which is carried at the lower end of the casing head 6.

' In this way, the collars are all connected together in a column and the spaces between or around the inner casings are packed oil? from each other. The result of this is that a number of annular gas chambers or gas rings 24 are formed (see Fig. 1).

By reason of the fact that the bolts 16 are 1 parallel with each other, they can connect any number of collars in place without ward toward the vertical axis of the head.

In practice I prefer to provide a packing plug which includes the bottom plate 28 as a part of it, and above this plate the body 31 of the plug is received. This body is of compressible material such as soft rubber, and is preferably constructed so that its middle portion can be readily moved inwardly. In order to make this operation eifective, I prefer to construct the body 31 with a plurality of radial slots 32 which extend outwardly from a central opening formed through the packing (see Fig. 8), but these slots terminate short of the periphery 31 of the plug body. I provide means movably mounted on the casing-head and capable of being drawn down on the casing-headfor compressing the packing body 31 against the rod or pipe 30. For this purpose, I provide a cap 35in the form of a ring with means such as screw-threads 36 connected with the casing-head so that when the cap is rotated it will move down on the head. Any suitable cooperating construction may be provided to enable 'the cap to compress the packing when screwed down in this way.

I prefer, however, to provide the packing plug with a flexible ring 37 of metal which lies in an annular recess 38 formed on the upper side of the packing body. This ring extends around the central vertical axis of the casing-head and is preferably anchored to the bottom plate 28 by anchor bolts 3%) which extend downwardly through the plate.

()n this ring are pivotally mounted a plurality of dogs 40. The cap 35 is preferably provided with a large opening 41. This opening is of sufficiently large diameter to enable the entire packing plug to be passed down through it. This would be done before the cap 35 is screwed down as far as the position in which it is indicated in Fig. 1, and when the plug has been shoved down into position in this way, the upper ends of the dogs 40 which are tapered as indicated at 42 engage the inner side of the cap. In this way, the dogs -10 will assume an inclined radial position. \Vhen the cap is screwed down, therefore, these dogs will exert an inward thrust against the middle portion of the compressible body 31 of the packing and press the same forcibly against the side of the rod or pipe 30 to be packed. The ring 37 should be made of stoutflvire place; in other words I construct it so that.

itvwill permit the joints or couplin such as the coupling 43 to pass upwar y. In order to accomplish this, I provide an opening 44 through the bottom plate 28 which is i of sufficiently large diameter to permit a joint or coupling 43-topass through the plate. This of course means that this opening 44 is of considerably larger diameter than the opening 33 already referred to which is formed. at the center of the packing body 31. I

It might happen that gas would be struck in drilling a well while a square bar such as a Kelly bar is'located at-the head. In order to adapt the apparatus .for such a contingency, I'prov1de a compressible packing body 45 of special form (see Fig. 6) in which the central opening 46 is of square form to suit the dimensions of the Kelly bar. In other respects the construction of this packing body 45 is substantially the same as that described above for the packing body 31. In other words, I provide a split metal ring 47 which is flexible but which is substantially square in form. In this. case there would be four dogs 48 each dog being pivoted on one of the sides of the split ring. Furthermore, the opening 49 through the bottom plate would be of square form as indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 6.

I provide means operating, after the well has been brought .in, to su port and anchor a flow-pipe such as the 0w-pipe 50 (see Fig. 2).

For this purpose I provide long tie-bolts 51, the lower ends of which are anchored in the flan e 14 which projects outwardly from the owe-r portion of the bottom collar 1. This flange 14 is sugported.

on suitable timbers 22 and the hea 53 of each tie-bolt may be recessed in the upper: face of the'timber see Fig. At their upper ends these tiea a clamp 54 whichis attached as a cross-head to the flow-pipe 50 above the valves 55 and T connection 56. l

It is evident that the casing-head will operate as a blowout preventer b reason of thefact that the compressible body 31 of the packing will not permit the escape of gas under a dangerous pressure, thereby allowing the gas to be diverted into the pressure vents, flow lines, etc., and preventing the casing head from being blown off.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein is only one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited lts 51 are attached to.

in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth. T

WVhat I claim is 1. In a casing-head apparatus, the combination of a bottom collar having means for securing the same to an outer casing, and having a seat on its upper side, an intermediate collar received on said seat and threaded for securing the same to an inner casing, said intermediate collar having a seat on its upper side, a casing-head received on said last named seat, and means for securing the intermediate collar and the casing-head to the bottom collar.

2. In a casing-head apparatus, the combi nation of a bottom collar with means for securing the same to an outer casing, and having a seat on its upper side, a casinghead above the seat, means for securing the casing-head to the bottom collar, said casing-head having an outlet connection, with a packing chamber above the outlet connection, a compressible packing plug received in the packing chamber, a cap for the easing-head with means'for drawing the same down onto the casing-head, and a plurality of members engaged by the cap for forcing the packing plug inwardly and toward the vertical axis of the casing-head. 3

3. In a casing-head apparatus, the combination of a bottom collar with means for securing the same to an outer casing and having a seat on its upper side, a casing-head above the seat, means for securing the casing-head to the bottom collar, said casing head having an outlet connection with a packing chamber above the outlet connection, a compressible packing plug received inthe pfacking chamber having a body of compressible material with a flexible anchor ring extending around the vertical axis of the casing-head, a cap for the casing-head with means for drawing the same down onto the casing-head, and dogs carried by the flexible ring for engaging the cap and cooperatingwith the cap to produce a radial inward thrust upon the inner portion of the body of the plug.

4..In a casing-head apparatus, the combination of a bottom collar with means for securing thesame to an outer casing, and having a seat on its upper side, a casing-head above the seat, means for securing the casing-head to the bottom collar, said casing head having an outlet connection and having a packing chamber above the outlet connection, a packing plug received in the packing chamber, having a ,body of compressible material and having a flexible metal ring surrounding the vertical axis of the casinghead, a cap in the form of a ring with a central opening 'to permit the plug to be passed down through the cap, and having a.

thread connection with the casing-head to enhaving a seat on its upper-side, a casinghead above the seat, means for securing the casing-head to the bottom collar, said casing head having an outlet connection and a packing chamber, and having a transverse wall above the said outlet connection forming the bottom of the packing chamber, said transverse wall having an opening therethrough to pass a rod or pipe, a compressible packing plug seating on the transverse wall having a body of compressible material, a cap having a thread connection with the casing head, permitting the cap to be screwed down on the head, and radially disposed casing; head, a cap havin throu members cooperating with the cap to clamp the body of the packing plug against the rod or pipe passing through the casing head.

6. In a casing-head apparatus, the combination of a bottom collar with means for securing the same to an outer casing, and having a seat on its upper side, a casinghead above the seat, means for securing the casing-head to the-bottom collar, said casing head havingan outlet connection and a packing chamber above the outlet connection, a compressible packing plug received in the packing chamber having a body of compressible material with a central opening to receive a rod or pipe passing through the casing-head,'the body of said plug having substantially radial slits extending from the,

central openin outwardly and terminating short of the e ge of the compressible body,

said paekingplug having a flexible metal ringextendihg around the vertical axis of the a thread connection with. the head ena ling the cap to be screwed down onto the head, and a pluralit y' or dogs carried by the said metal ring constructed to engage the cap and cooperate with the same to exert an inward radialthrustupon the compressible body of the packin plug'to pack the rod or pipe passing the casin head.

7. a casingead apparatus, the combination'of a'bottom, col ar with means for securing the same to an outer casing, and having a seat on its upper side, a casing-head above the seat, means for securing the easing-headto the bottom collar, said casing.-

' head having an outlet connection and a packing chamber above the outlet connecti0n,.

said casing head also having an inner seat between the as outlet connection and the packing cham er, a plate at said inner seat,

Meagan a packing plug having a body of compressible material with a split ring extending around the vertical axis of the casing head, means for anchoring the split ring to the said plate, a cap for the casing-head with means for drawing the same down onto the casing head, and a plurality of dogs pivotally mounted on the split ring constructed to engage the cap when the same is drawn down onto the casing-head and cooperating with the cap to exertan inward radial thrust in the compressible body of the plug.

8. In a casing head apparatus, the combination of a bottom collar having means for attaching the same to an outer casing and having a seat on its upper side, an intermediate collar received on said seat, said inter mediate collar having a seat on its upper side, a casing head received on said last named seat, said casing head and said collars having flanges with aligning slots, parallel connecting bolts received in the slots and cooperating with the flanges to secure the intermediate collar and the casing head to the bottom collar, packing rings between the intermediate collar and the casing head and between the intermediate collar and the bottom collar, and packing means carried by the casing head.

9. In a casing head apparatus, the combination of a bottom collar having means for attaching the sa me to an outer casing and having a seat on its upper side, an intermediate collar received on said seat and having a seat on its upper side, a casing head received on the last named seat, said interme diate collar and said casing head having flanges with aligning slots on the sides thereof, a connecting bolt secured in the bottom collar and having a threaded upper end extending past the flange of the intermediate collar, a nut carried on the said threaded uppeiyend of the bolt and engaging the flange of the intermediate collar to clamp the intermediate collar on the bottom collar, an extension bolt having a threaded socket re ceived on said threaded upper end of the bolt above said nut and having a threaded upper end extending above the flange of the casing head, and aunt on the extension bolt engaging the flange of the casing head for securing the casing head to the intermediate collar.

10. In a casing head apparatus,the combination of a bottom. collar having means for attaching the same to an outer casing and having a seat on its upper side, an intermediate collar received on said seat and having a seat on its upper side, a casing head received on the last named seat, said interbolt having a threaded socket received on said threaded upper end of the bolt above the said nut and having a threaded upper end extending above the lugs of the casing head, and a nut on the'extension bolt engaging the flange of the casing head for securmg the casing head to the intermediate collar, a flow' pipe extending up through the casing head means In the; casing head for packing the flow pipe, a cross-head attached to the flow pipe above the casing head, and tie-bolts anchored at their lower ends in the bottom collar and secured to the said cross head. a

' 11. In a casing head apparatus, the combination of a casing. head having a packing chamber with a' transverse wall constituting the bottom of the packing chamber, said transverse wall having an opening therethrough, a packing plug having a body of compressible material received in thepacking chamber and resting on said transverse wall, said plug having an opening therethrough of smaller diameter than the first named opening, and means for exerting pressure on the body of the plug to force the inner portion of the same radially inward.

12; in a casing head apparatus, the combination of a casing head having a packing chamber with a transverse-wall constituting the bottom of the packing chamber, said transverse wall havingvan opening theret-hrough, a packing plug having a body of compressible material received in the packing chamber and resting on said transverse wall, said plug having an opening there-' through of smaller diameter than the first named opening, a cap mounted onthe casing head in the form of a ring with an opening therethrough sufiiciently large to permit the said plug to pass down through the same, means connectingthe cap with the casing head to force the cap down toward the packing, and a plurality of members carried by the plug cooperating with the cap to exert pressure 'on the packing plug in a radial direction to force the inner portion of the same radially inward.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 20th day of March 1925.

ROY TAYLOR. 

